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Childs
"CHILDs" are the different creatures that are being summoned by the HiMEs in their fight as their protector. The names and appearance of the child were based from ancient mythological creatures, monsters, and deities. Also, the child can be considered as the combination of living creatures with flesh and of mechanical or technological parts. The life of the child was connected with the life of the most important person in the life of the HiME. If the child of a certain HiME dies, the most important person in her life will also die. Additionally, if the HiME herself is killed, her most important person will die. Kagutsuchi Kagutsuchi is the child of Mai Tokiha. It is a giant dragon-like creature with wings of fire. It has the ability to release fireballs from its mouth. It is also somewhat associated with whales and dolphins (hence the fin-like protrusions on its face and the sounds which it communicates with). Another reference is to the legendary phoenix as Kagutsuchi is shown to be able to be reborn from fire. Also, Kagutsuchi has the ability to fly with incredible speed because of its jet mode. There is a sword in its head, known as the Sword of Sealing. It was made by the Obsidian Lord, acting as a seal on its powers, allowing the Obsidian Lord to suppress it when needed. During the final battle, the HiME's attack on the HiME star weakens the Obsidian Lord and destroys the sword, loosening the control and allows Kagutsuchi full access to all its power to destroy the Obsidian Lord within Reito. Kagutsuchi is based on Honokaguchi (Kagu-tsuchi), a god of fire in Japanese mythology. He is the son of two gods, Izanami no Mikoto and Izanagi no Mikoto, who are the creators of the islands of Japan. As Honokaguchi was born, he burned his mother Izanami to death, becoming a motherless child like Mai. Whether this is the cause or not, Izanagi beheaded Honokaguchi with the totosuka sword, a sword ten grips long. The sword stuck in Kagutsuchi’s head is a reference to this. His body which was cut into eight pieces, and became eight volcanoes. Miroku Mikoto Minagi's child is Miroku. At first, Mikoto's element, the claymore, was introduced to be her child. Later on, it is revealed to be only her element. Both of her child and element being named Miroku caused this confusion. The true form of Miroku is a giant ogre-like creature that carries a giant spiked club. Miroku appeared to be a full armored warrior with three arms and a big eye in it central body, but its true face is in the lower part of the body. In earlier episodes Miroku only manifested as spikes that came out of the ground at Mikoto's command. Mikoto herself does not seem to completely control the Child, who is referred to as the protector of the Obsidian Lord and attempts to block an attack against him during the final battle. The most obvious reference for Miroku is the absolute god Miroku, Maitreya in Sanskrit, from the religion Mitra. As for Mikoto, her name is seen along Izanami’s and Izanagi’s. It’s probably why she’s always stuck with Mai. Miroku's name was adopted from Japanese term for "Maitreya Buddha" as prophesied by the Buddha before entering nirvana. Duran Duran was a silver wolf like creature. It was the child of Natsuki Kuga. She named Duran after her deceased pet dog. Duran was aided with a pair of cannons on its back, and also by the different mechanical parts and weapons in its hind legs, which were composed of several types of projectiles. Shizuru dies because she was Natsuki's most important person when Duran was destroyed. Duran is probably based on Dylan from Celtic mythology, the son of Arianrhod. Dylan is also said to be the child of waves, therefore he became the god of oceans. This corresponds with how Duran comes out of ice. Another point about Natsuki is her relationship with her mother. Arianrhod had another son named Lleu, whom she almost kills. Although there is a difference of gender, Arianrhod could be Natsuki’s mother, Lleu being Natsuki, and Dylan being Duran. Also, it could be that the name of Duran was adopted from the term "Dylan" which means "ice". Gakutenou Gakutenou was a strange and unidentified creature that looks like an armadillo or even lion. Gakutenou's back legs has the ability to transform into wheels, allowing Midori Sugiura, its HiME master, to move at high speeds on land and in the air and also by rotating its wheels at high power. It can also launch a tornado that can trap an enemy within. It has an extendable tail-like blade that can cut through hard stones. Its shape allows it to become a living projectile; the rocket thrusters on its back give it an incredible amount of thrust, which it uses in its Spiral Dash attack: gathering speed, it rushes forward, covering itself in energy and then physically blasting through whatever is in its path. It can go through a wall of solid stone and even the metal hull of a ship. For this ability Gakutenou can be associated with a rhinoceros. There is no god with a name of anything close to Gakutenou. The name in Japanese describes a “state of great shock”, so strong that one doesn’t know what to do. So literally translated, Gakutenou becomes “a king that surprises even the heavens”. In Kojiki, an old Japanese text, there’s a line that vaguely translates to “Susanoo no Mikoto violently kills a woman who wears a heavenly robe”. Susanoo is a god in Japanese mythology who killed Yamata no Orochi, the eight headed dragon that symbolizes chaos, but he himself was a very rough man. Rough enough to makes Amaterasu no Mikoto, the goddess of the sun, so upset that she hid herself away, covering the world in darkness. The closest call for basis of Gakutenou would probably be Susanoo. Julia Nao Yuuki's child was Julia. Julia appeared as a green and yellow half-human female spider with a scorpion tail. Julia's main ability is her sharp tail similar to a stinger as well as releasing its sticky web-like strings from its abdomen and chest. Julia is also capable of emitting some kind of acidic liquid by opening its chest, possibly a reference to the venom of spiders. Julia follows in every command of Nao by the help of her element. Nao used her in robbing men that she attracts. Julia has most likely originated from a god in Cthulhu mythology, Atlach-Nacha. Atlach-Nacha is a spider with a face of a human that is said to dwell in a hole it dug, planning to bring an end to the world. It is said to be a god that cannot multitask, therefore it becomes very upset when interrupted with what it is doing. It is also said that it can be summoned, but doing so would entangle the summoner in the web and leave them no option but to be eaten. How appropriate to Nao’s child. Gennai Akira Okuzaki's child, a huge frog like creature named Gennai, has the ability to blind enemies with the giant spotlights on its back, allowing her to control the shadow of her enemy in the ground and allow Gennai to execute its Jigoku Gama (literally "Hell Toad") attack, which involves Gennai launching a huge spiked ball out of its mouth towards the enemy. In summoning Gennai, Akira needs to say the long incantation "Rin, Pyou (or Byou), Tou, Sha, Kai, Jin, Retsu, Zai, Zen (Kuji-in), Gennai, Appearance!"; however, it's debatable if this is actually necessary, as Akira later summons Gennai without the incantation This is another example of an origin in an existing person. Gennai is probably based on Hiraga Gennai, a scientist who lived from 1728 to 1780. He is most famous for inventing elekiter (electrostatic generator) that generate electricity. The toad is equipped with the electrostatic, as shown it being used once. As for Akira’s outfit, it must be a reference to Jiraiya. Jiraiya is a fictional ninja who rode on toad and fought for the poor by stealing from the rich. On the other hand, Jiraiya is another ninja of the same name from Naruto. Not to mention, his ability to summon toads alludes on how Akira summons Gennai. St. Vlas (St. Vrus) Sister Yukariko Sanada's child, named St. Vlas (St. Vrus), was a resemblance of a knight, a piece in the game of chess, that can change its shape into a winged unicorn during its iron maiden form. It also has the ability to force its opponents into an illusion before crushing them with its large wings in the style of an iron maiden. Sister Yukariko, being a nun, has a partial reference to Christianity. Back when Christianity was the target of persecution, the cross used to be the target of arrow, and whoever was able to stick three on it was said to be able to become a master of archery. Whether this is the origin or not, three signifies demons, such as the trident that the devils are usually drawn with. Later on, the word “hamartia”, meaning “sin”, was made due to pressure from Greece, but it literally translates as “off target”. As for Sister Yukariko’s child, its origin can be seen in a god originally named Volos. When Volos’ idol was thrown into the Pocayna River, he either became the devil, or alternately he became St. Vlas (St. Blaise), a shepherd. He is often tied together with the image of sexual suppression and male organs. St. Vlas's iron maiden-like ability is possibly a reference to St. Blaise's martyrdom. Also, it could be that the name of St. Vlas was adopted from the famous racehorse named St. Blaise which is related to its appearance as a horse-headed child. Diana Yukino Kikukawa's child, Diana, is a weird plant-like creature that has the ability to sprout spores that serves as mini-cameras. Also, Diana can attack its enemies by the use of its tentacle-like roots. As reported in the official guidebook, Diana is a reference to Anne of Green Gables. Anne’s best friend Diana notices how Anne is growing a mysterious plant in the forest. If Diana is a reference to this, this means Haruka represents Anne, while Diana is Yukino and her child to the mysterious plant. Also, it might be that Diana was named after the Roman goddess named Diana, the goddess of forest and of the moon. Kiyohime Shizuru Fujino's child was Kiyohime, a combination of a giant squid and of the Hydra. Kiyohime's multiple snake heads serves as its tentacles, allow it to attack quickly and repeatedly, and each of its heads can spray an acidic silver poison. Kiyohime is one of the largest childs in the anime, comparably similar in size to Mai's Child, Kagusutchi, and Mikoto's Child, Miroku, and arguably, one of the strongest. Kiyohime is right out of the Konjaku Monogatarishū, a classic Japanese work of literature that is titled “The Story of Kiyohime”. During their travels to Kumano, a nameless old monk and a young monk named Anchin (Anjin) stop by a house to stay for a night. The owner of the house, Kiyohime (Kiyo), who’s a widow, falls in love with Anchin at first sight and approaches him to start a relationship. However, Anchin devotes himself to Buddhism, so he fears Kiyohime, and therefore lies to her by saying that he’ll return to her once he finishes his mission to Kumano. Kiyohime believes his word and waits, but Anchin does not return. Receiving no news from Anchin, Kiyohime asks a traveler from Kumano about Anchin’s whereabouts, and finds out that he had already gone back to his country. In anger, sadness, and jealousy, Kiyohime transforms into a giant snake. In fear of Kiyohime, Anchin hides under a bell but is soon found (so this makes Natsuki out to be Anchin in this case) and is turned into a snake as well. Anchin asks the old monk to send the both of them to heaven, and with the old monk’s prayers, the two of them rise to heaven together. Yatagarasu Shiho Munakata's child in the anime, called Yatagarasu, is a large crow like creature able to fire its feathers in projectile attacks, as well as a destructive beam attack from its beak. Oddly, this version of the mythical creature has only one leg. Yatagarasu dwells in the sun, and is the messenger of the sun goddess, Amaterasu Omikami. Karasu means “crow”, so as easily guessed, this child is a crow. Crows are usually associated with negative images, but that’s a western influence. In Japan, it was originally a messenger of the gods characterized by loyalty, honesty, and devotion. However, Yatagarasu is usually depicted with three legs. Since Shiho’s child had only one leg, it means that loyalty, truthfulness and devotion must have been replaced with solitude, jealousy, and monopoly. Mashiro Kazahana/Suishouhime Fumi Himeno's child in the anime is actually Mashiro Kazahana, called Suishouhime (meaning Crystal Princess) in her Child form. Seeing how Fumi wields a death scythe, the best image for her would be Hades, the god of underworld. A word about her name probably comes from “hifumi norito”, a prayer that leads the spirit to heavenly peace. But since “hi” is missing, it’s probably going to stop at rest, not making its way to peace. This explains how Mashiro, who is over 300 years old, kept her soul in the present world. Mashiro, as Reito called her the queen of hell, would be put in the position of Izanami, who carries the nature of death in her character. Eclipse 1 Artemis Alyssa Searrs' child was the giant satellite that float from outer space called Eclipse 1 Artemis. Eclipse 1 Artemis can fire a Golden Lighting by the command of Alyssa through her golden hairs, as well as missiles to defend itself. A reference to Artemis, the goddess of mountains, sometimes the moon, and hunting from Greek mythology. A master of archery, this explains the accuracy when firing the Golden Lighting. Category:Plot Elements Category:Terminology